


Just To Reach You

by Little_Stargazer



Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, InuYasha - A Feudal Fairy Tale
Genre: AU! for Inuyasha, Character Death, F/M, might lack canon for FFVII
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-13
Updated: 2020-07-03
Packaged: 2021-03-04 03:33:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,804
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24706882
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Little_Stargazer/pseuds/Little_Stargazer
Summary: Like a ghost, she hovered in the corner of his eye. If he looked for too long, he'd start to think she was really there again. Her eyes, that dazzling blue, brought back so many memories. Her voice, a haunting echo of past days, burns. Cloud couldn't tell if it was a blessing or a curse anymore.
Relationships: Higurashi Kagome/Sephiroth (Compilation of FFVII), Other Relationship Tags to Be Added
Comments: 1
Kudos: 4





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own either series. Each belongs to their rightful owners.
> 
> Note:  
> Non-canon, and slight AU.  
> Kagome's already dead. Sorta, but not really.  
> Kagome's also Aerith's older sister.  
> Flashbacks are written in bulk Italics.

_Blue eyes like the deep sea stared back at him. They were striking, nearly freezing him to his spot. Dark lashes lined the crystal pools, dusting gently over porcelain cheeks. A set of hands holding onto the back and sides of a blue dress stole his attention for the first time with him realizing. Green eyes peered out from behind the older girl._

" _Go away!" Aerith yelled out from behind her sister. Her hands tightened, holding tighter to her dress as if her grip was doing anything to keep the older girl still._

_With a sigh, he closed his eyes and invited himself more into the quaint home. The older woman there looked from him to the two girls as he lowered himself before the one shielding her sister. He balanced himself with a hand on his knee, the other held out to the blue-eyed girl in a gentle fashion._

_As if burned, she stepped back, pushing Aerith with her. "Don't come any closer, Tseng."_

_He felt the frown as it appeared on his face. "I'm not here to hurt you, Kagome."_

_Her eyes narrowed at that statement. "Why should I believe you?"_

" _It won't work if you don't come of your own free will. I have no interest in forcing you to do anything."_

_Her glare hardened for a moment before it slipped from her face. She turned a small bit in order to look at Aerith. Wide green eyes were staring up at her, her hands still clinging tightly to her dress. Kagome sighed and crossed her arms over her chest as she eyed Tseng again._

" _Then let's make a deal," Kagome said something, finally, and his eyes returned to her face._

" _I'm listening," he said, urging her to continue._

" _If… If I agree to go, I want you to leave Aerith out of it from here on out. Let her live here with Elmyra." She glanced at her feet when she heard Aerith's choked cry as she pressed her face into her back, fingers digging deeper into the fabric of her dress and holding on tighter to it._

" _No!"_

" _If you have me, then there is no reason to keep going after Aerith, right?"_

_Kagome looked up and let her eyes meet Tseng's. His expression was thoughtful for a second before he nodded, seeming to take the deal without trying to negotiate it any._

" _Very well," he said as he stood back up. As soon as he did, Kagome turned and pulled Aerith into a tight hug, feeling her squeezing her back with every ounce of strength she had. Kagome pressed a kiss to the top of her head, fingers gently pulling through her brown curls._

" _It's okay," she murmured softly to the crown of her head. "You'll be okay here with Elmyra."_

" _I don't want you to go. I want to stay with you…" Aerith's voice was muffled by her dress, and it was a bit broken due to her crying. "Please don't leave me, Kagome!"_

_Kagome held her tighter. She didn't want to go, either, but if this was what it took for Aerith to be safe and to have a nice life, then so be it._

" _I have to."_

_She felt another pair of arms surround her, and she didn't have to look to know who it was. Elmyra enveloped them both in a hug, and Kagome let herself rest against the woman who had taken them in as her own children._

_Tseng was waiting at the door for her when she finally pulled herself away from the others. Aerith tried to grab her dress again but only touched air when Kagome stepped away from her. Elmyra pulled Aerith against her, and she clung to her as she cried again._

_Kagome joined Tseng, and they left the house. Though she tried to ignore it, she could still hear the sound of Aerith crying as they left._


	2. Chapter One

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pairing: Sephiroth x Kagome. [+lots of pining/one-sided love for Kagome from other characters.]
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own either series. Each belongs to their rightful owners.
> 
> Note:  
> Non-canon, and slight AU.  
> Kagome's already dead. Sorta, but not really.  
> Kagome's also Aerith's older sister.  
> Flashbacks are written in bulk Italics.  
> This will also have many flashbacks/hints to Crisis Core.

She wasn't real. It wasn't possible for her to be standing in front of him like she was. A smile so fond, so caring and warm, maternal and sweet lighting up her face. Her eyes shone with promises of new days, but it was a stinging lie every time he looked into them.

She was dead. He could remember the cold body he cradled to his chest back then. She'd been dead for a day or two before she was even found, blood staining and dried into the powder blue dress she'd been wearing. _She'd shown up, wanting to talk to_ _ **him**_ _alone, but it'd ended with her death._

He risked a glance at her, breath running away from him when he finally saw she was no longer wearing that dress. No, she was in an outfit he'd seen her in many-a-times; _her SOLDIER uniform._ He let his gaze remain stuck on her for a while, trying to decipher if she was really standing next to him or not. His fingers twitched, hand raising as he dared to reach for her to test the realness of her.

She noticed the slight shift in his stance, and danced out of reach just before his hand could graze her arm. Apologetic blue eyes looked up at him, a somber smile on her face as she shook her head, quietly saying, " _you already know the answer, Cloud. Don't hurt yourself even more, please."_

"You… You're gone," he said, mostly to himself, and he saw her nod. He looked at his feet, an ache burning in his chest at the admittance and acceptance of her death. "Why are you here?"

" _Hmm…"_ Kagome turned away from him, marching in between people walking without a single care in her gait. No one else saw her, not like he did. " _I think you know the answer to_ _ **that**_ _, too."_ She shook her head and sighed, long black hair fluttering around her as if they were raven wings. " _You'll figure it out one day. I can't tell you. It's something you need to process and realize on your own."_

Those words sent a pang of sadness through him, even though she uttered them with such a lighthearted smile. She looked back at him held a finger up to her lips, as if urging him to keep a secret between just the two of them.

" _I'll be here for as long as you need, Cloud. When I feel like you need me, I'll show my face. Just don't_ _become too dependent on me~"_ she hummed thoughtfully, despite the teasing light sparkling behind blue eyes. " _Can't have me hold your hand forever, now can you?"_

With those words, he saw her form start to fade, and he held a hand out for her. "H-Hey! Kagome wait!" Cloud called out to her quietly, though his words caught the attention of a few stray passerbys. They turned from him, choosing to ignore the strange new face of the slums. Cloud lowered his hand slowly, his attention still hovering in the place Kagome had been seconds before.

* * *

That was how Tifa found him, wandering around and lost in the Sector 7 slums. She recruited him into the organization Avalanche, as a mercenary.

The mission to blow up the 1st Mako reactor was going to start soon. When he was heading to the station, that's when he heard her voice again. It felt like it had been forever since he last heard her, but he knew that wasn't the case.

" _So, Cloud, is this really what you're up to now?"_

The single line caused his steps to stutter as he came to a slow halt. With the words came a faint floral scent, sweet and unlike anything that'd ever be found in the slums. He didn't know why he stopped, or maybe he did and he just refused to admit it.

He was waiting for her to show her face, even if it was only for a second. Deep down, he knew that was the case, even if he'd never admit it in any sense.

" _Blowing up the Mako Reactors, hm…"_

She didn't sound disappointed, or even the remote-bit upset at the idea. Curiosity lined those words, an interested hum coming from her seconds after she fell silent.

" _Normally I'd scold you, but Shinra is… well, Shinra after all. There are so few humane people there…"_

A wisp of black hair danced in the corner of his vision, but he didn't chase it. Steady steps echoed over the dirt. He could see her petite form slowly easing closer to him. People walking around him didn't see her. They didn't hear her. To them, she didn't exist.

Before long, she walked in front of him, face downturned to the ground. Her shoulders shook with an inaudible laugh. Only after then did she finally looked up, turning vibrant blue eyes up to meet his Mako-infused gaze. For a moment, he felt ease and relief at seeing her face. She looked well, _alive._ He decided to let that face replace the one that lurked in his memories, the one devoid of life, lacking every sentiment and emotion she'd once bore, and eternally asleep.

"Easy money," he said, getting a few curious side-eyes from the people walking the station.

" _Mm, is it now?"_ She hummed, sounding genuinely more curious at hearing that information. " _Just make sure you survive long enough to get your payment then, Cloud."_

She looked so real, standing a few paces away from him. If he moved his hand even a few inches, his fingers would graze her arm. He was tempted to, so he could test how solid her body was in front of him, but he looked away instead when the memory of what happened last time reappeared in his mind. _He wouldn't be able to touch her._

She exhaled, and he tried to keep from letting his gaze wander back to her. He failed, and his eyes steadily roamed back to her. She no longer faced him, her head turned and looking off into the distance as if something else caught her attention. What she saw, he had no clue.

Long inky black hair fanned out around her slender form, reaching to her hips like a pair of tucked, black wings. Those blue eyes sparkled with such an unnatural brightness that seemed impossible to find underneath the Plate's shadow. A glow of Mako shone through them, and he silently wondered if that caused the bold brightness of her stare or if her eyes had just always been that naturally vivid.

She still wore her uniform, but one thing was missing. Now that he thought about it, he didn't think it was with her last time either. The pink-hilted sword she'd once carried and wielded was no longer with her, but he had no recollection of what happened to it.

"Kagome…" Cloud kept his voice silent, but he still got her attention easy. She looked at him, eyes lighting up with that same curiosity as before. "What happened to your sword?" The blade was special to her, and she was never without it while in her SOLDIER uniform. Her eyes widened at the question. It was like she didn't expect it to come from him, but she soon shook her head, laughing quietly to herself.

" _Someone must have picked it up,"_ she mused quietly. " _A dear friend of mine is taking good care of my sword."_

The question was answered, but it only brought more questions to the forefront of his mind. He was about to say something, but she beat him to it.

" _Oh! Seems like your mission is starting, Cloud. You should be careful," Kagome said._ She bid him another smile before she abruptly vanished on the spot. Cloud sighed and shook his head.

"Guess that's the end of that topic."

* * *

" _So, Zack-!" Kagome jabbed a finger to his chest and stamped her foot to obtain his attention. The younger boy looked at her, a smile on his face as he focused on her. Bright blue eyes met his gaze, and she lowered her arms so she could put her hands on her hips. The sword on her left side jostled some as she did so. "I want you to think about what I'm gonna ask you."_

" _Oh, yeah? What is it?" Zack folded his arms, instantly interested in what the small woman had to tell him. Another woman at her side hummed and they shared a glance before both looking at him again._

" _What does being a hero mean to you?" she asked. "There's really no right or wrong answer to this, but I want to know what yours is," Kagome said._

" _Huh?" Zack tilted his head, unsure what she meant by her question._

" _Being a hero is something different for everyone," the brunette woman at her side said. "What does it mean for you?"_

" _I… I don't think I know my answer yet…" Zack said, looking down as he thought the question over. He didn't want to half-ass giving an answer, and it end up being one he feels no connection to after a few days, weeks, months, or even years. He wanted to have one come from his heart, one he knew was true to him. "What's your meaning of a hero?" he asked them. "Kagome? Sango?"_

_Kagome hummed and glanced at Sango, blue eyes meeting brown. "Well, I already told you. There's no set example of a hero, Zack. To me, a hero is someone who merely follows their own belief of right and stays true to themselves along their own journey."_

" _Kagome's right," Sango said. "A hero cannot be defined to a single meaning. As for me, a hero is a person who fights for those who can't fight for themselves. Someone who protects the weak and supports their allies."_

_Zack looked between them as they answered him. Their definitions for a hero were unique to themselves, and he found himself reminded of them in their answers._

" _My point of asking you this is to give you the chance to think about what it means to_ _ **you**_ _," Kagome said. "You joined SOLDIER because you want to be a hero, didn't you?" Zack nodded, confirming her question. "Then it's important for you to have a clear meaning of what being a hero is to you. You can't expect to be a hero if you don't know what being one means to you."_

" _A question with no right or wrong answer, huh?" Zack found himself thinking hard on it. As if sensing his determined focus, Kagome laughed. Or maybe it was the intense, focused expression he had on his face._

" _I don't want an answer right away," she said. "All I want is for you to think it over. Take all the time you need, Zack. You can get back to me later, but, when you do, you have to promise me that you'll be the hero you believe in."_

" _Yeah!" Zack exclaimed. "Just you wait. I promise I'll show you the kind of hero I'll be, Kagome!"_

" _I'm excited for that day," Kagome responded with a warm smile before Sango and she left. He watched the two 1st classes depart, but he was still focused on Kagome's question._

* * *


	3. Chapter Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pairing: Sephiroth x Kagome. [+lots of pining/one-sided love for Kagome from other characters.]
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own either series. Each belongs to their rightful owners.
> 
> Note:  
> Non-canon, and slight AU.  
> Kagome's already dead. Sorta, but not really.  
> Kagome's also Aerith's older sister.  
> Flashbacks are written in bulk Italics.  
> This will also have many flashbacks/hints to Crisis Core.

Two swords resting against the pale gray wall of her room leaned against one another, almost as if they were supporting each other. She was exhausted, and she felt like she'd collapse any minute now, but rest was still far from her grasp. In the corner, curled up in a soft, green cat bed, was a twin-tailed cat with cream fur. Unlike the human, she was sleeping her exhaustion away.

Dark brown eyes that faded into an unnatural blue glow around the pupils were focused on the desk she sat at, but no work rested in front of her. Her fingers were buried in long, brown hair as she sat, her thoughts bounding through her pounding skull. The door to the dark office was opened, a low creak echoing through the silence and a thin stream of pale, yellow light invaded the darkness.

"He told me you were in here, Sango," a calm, deep voice finally stirred her attention, and the woman looked up at last. Though small, a smile lifted on her face at the presence of the Turk.

While Turks and SOLDIER didn't have the best history in getting along with one another, there were one or two, maybe even three, that she was just a little bit fond of. Sango slowly rose from her chair, heavy boots clunking to the floor as she walked around the desk. "So you were looking for me, Tseng? To what do I own this occasion?" she asked, folding her arms over her chest and giving him a pointed glare.

Tseng eyed the woman for a moment before swiftly shutting the door behind him and fixing the lock in place. When he turned back to her, stepping more into her office, Sango rolled her eyes.

"You recently went to check on them, didn't you?" Tseng asked through the silence they stood in. Sango looked up and nodded slowly.

"Of course. Did Miroku fill you in?" Sango asked in response. He nodded, short and curt, and she sighed. "They're doing great, if you wanted to know," she said then. "They're looking more and more like Kagome every time I see them. They even act just like her. It's… kinda nice, y'know?" she added on, not caring if she rambled any. "Oh!" Sango exclaimed and turned back to her desk, digging around inside the drawers until she found what she looked for. "I took a photo this time," she said, offering it for him to take. "They're growing like weeds!"

After a brief moment of hesitation, Tseng took the offered photo from the woman. It had been taken in front of a familiar place. The house in the background was the same as it had been when he'd gone to get Kagome. Large patches of flowers of all colores covered the ground, and in the walkway of a yellow and white patch were three girls. Two nearly identical to one another, both with long black hair and radiant blue eyes, even dressed in matching dresses of different colors. One green, and one blue. In between them, holding onto each of their hands with one of her own, was Aerith.

True to Sango's word, both of the girls bore a striking resemblance to their mother. The only thing that ever gave any indication of their father was the slit-pupils of their eyes, it seemed.

Tseng held the photo out for Sango to take, looking away as she took it. She went back around the desk to hide the photo back under all the things she had lurking in the drawers. Tseng's attention fell to rest on the two swords supported on the wall beside him. One belonged to the brunette with him, but the other did not. The pink hilt was engraved with thin, silver, intricate lines and curls. The materia slots were empty, carved into the material of the sword, but never once used by the previous wielder.

"I see you still have it," he said, and Sango looked up in curiosity as his statement. Her eyes went to where he was looking, and for a moment she felt her voice running away from her.

"... Yeah," she forced out as she cleared her throat. "It's nice to keep it around," she said then. "Someone needs to take care of it, anyway. Don't want it to get into bad shape, after all."

She rounded her desk again, making her way back over to where Tseng was when the sound of an explosion in the distance thundered outside. Along with it came the furious shaking of the plate the building was built upon. The cat in the corner bolted up with the noise, hissing and growling at the volume. Before she could fall, she felt Tseng grip her arm tight, helping keep both of their weight supported. The building around them shook, several items falling from the shelves of her bookcase.

"The hell was that?" Sango asked once the shaking came to a halt, carefully heading to the window. She could see nothing from where she was, however. She could get a small view of the outside world, and she was only able to see the people outside running around. She shook her head, already knowing what the sound was, having heard noises similar to it many times in the past.

_**There had been an explosion.** _

Sango snatched her arm from Tseng's grip and yanked her sword up, running from her office without waiting for any sort of response. Right on her heels was the cat.

"Kirara, let's go!"

* * *

Fire, smoke, and wreckage greeted them when they made it to the street. The bomb Jessie had made seemed to have been stronger than anticipated. "There's no way," she shook her head, brown ponytail swaying behind her. "The bomb shouldn't have been this strong."

"All of this, it couldn't have been us," Biggs said, eyes traveling over the small scope of damage visible to where they had just come out of. "It's not possible, right?"

Wedge frowned, wringing his hands together nervously. "What else could it have been?"

"Doesn't matter," Cloud said, folding his arms. "Can't change it. What's done is done."

"Merc's right," Barret stated. "This is only the beginning. It ain't pretty, but there's no way we can stop. Not now," he said, turning to the others. "This one was only the first reactor. The planet won't be safe 'til we knock out the rest of 'em."

Cloud looked at Barret for a second, only to freeze when a familiar girl stood overshadowed by his stature. Kagome stood, seeming nearly solid under the dark shadows around her. She looked troubled, and a second later, she was gone again. Cloud turned his attention away, half-heartedly listening to Barret.

"Look at the bigger picture. There ain't a single thing in this world worth fighting for that wasn't won without some sacrifice. Y'all might not be crying out, I know you're in pain- so is the planet, and that's okay," Barret said. "I'm here to help take that load from your shoulders. All your burdens, worries, and fears… any and all of it, don't worry. I've got you."

They split up to make it back to the station. Not long after he'd gone his path, Kagome's familiar figure reappeared alongside him. She walked silently alongside him. After a moment, she looked up at him.

" _You know, he's got a point,"_ she finally said something, and he knew right away who she was talking about.

"About what?"

Kagome frowned and looked away. " _The planet. It's crying out in agony, pleading for help. It's in pain."_

Cloud looked at her, her dejected and pained tone calling his instant attention. She avoided meeting his stare as they walked.

" _In order to strive for what you believe in, you must be willing to make sacrifices,"_ she said then. " _You're bound to sacrifice a few things for anything worth so much you'd fight for it. That's how life is. You can't take without giving a little in return, no matter what you have to give in return."_

He looked away from her as she fell silent. "This place is still intact," he said, about to head through it to get to the station when he was stopped by Kagome.

" _Cloud, don't!"_ she shouted at him, and he turned to look at her. A second later, a small bit of rubble fell from above, and the entire thing collapsed right after. As the smoke and ash slowly lifted, Cloud felt a sharp pain entering his head.

The burning embers called his attention, and his breath caught in his throat as the scenery around him began to change. All of a sudden he was _there_ again. The next thing he knew, it was gone. All remnants of that place were gone and replaced with the reality of the ruins surrounding him. Cloud let go of the breath he'd been holding and turned. "Different route it is, then," he muttered. He turned to leave, only to stutter in his steps when he ended up facing a different person who shouldn't have been there, or even alive. Cloud froze as he looked up, eyes meeting glowing teal ones with slit-pupils. Out of reflex, he grabbed his sword and jumped back so there was more space between them.

Kagome stood at his side still, a sad gleam in her eyes as she reached an arm out across him as if to shield him from the silver-haired man.

Nothing ever came through. A large chunk of concrete and metal fell to the ground beside them, the wind blowing embers and flames over to them. After the orange glow faded, Cloud found himself standing alone. Sephiroth had turned and started walking away. Kagome was no longer present.

Cloud narrowed his eyes at Sephiroth's back as he got further and further away. It wasn't possible… was it? Cloud shook his head and took off after the silver-haired man. As he got closer and closer, the harder it was to keep going, rising smoke getting the better of him. That same pain from before built back up, but he refused to quit.

They finally came to a halt in an alleyway. Sephiroth watched him, a bemused smirk on his face as Cloud silently hoped this was only a smoke-induced hallucination.

"You… You're not real," he said, mostly to himself. "This isn't real. You're dead, gone."

Sephiroth chuckled in response, dry and humorless. The low hum of it was intimidating. "I am?"

Cloud narrowed his eyes. "I killed you myself-"

"You need not remind me. I remember very clearly," he said. "How could I not? It was the crowning moment of our short time together." Teal eyes focused on him for a moment before he looked away, seemingly searching for something not visible. He shook his head a moment later, giving up on his search. "That was then, and this is now. I have a favor to ask of you. She won't show to me now, but she'll hear my words through you just as clear. So listen well, Cloud."

Cloud watched him, confused and smoke continuing to burn his lungs.

"This planet of hers is dying. You may not feel it, but it's suffering. Painfully, slowly, agonizingly, it's suffering and crying for help. Can you truly stand and bear to see the planet suffer so much, Cloud?"

His words were reminiscent of Kagome's, but when they came from him they sounded no good. There was no comparing the two.

"If this planet were to die, to fade into bare nothingness, so much would be lost. She pleaded with me to spare you all with her dying breath. And for her and her alone, I did just that…" Sephiroth shook his head. "If her planet were to die, then so would what binds me to her still. I would be loath to go on living an existence without being connected to her. So, I have but one favor to ask of you, Cloud. Run. Run away and live. You must survive, Cloud."

As Sephiroth fell silent, Cloud felt anger bubbling up inside him. His hand tightened on the hilt of his sword, narrowing his eyes and the silver-haired man across from him. His anger fizzed over, and he staggered towards him as fast as he could. "Bastard!"

Right as he brought the blade of his sword down at where Sephiroth was standing, he suddenly disappeared from the area, leaving him alone in the abandoned alleyway. Cloud froze for a moment, trying to take in more oxygen than smoke as he tried to reel himself back to calm.

He tried to tell himself Sephiroth had been some sort of hallucination, and he shook his head as he made his way out of the alleyway.

Kagome had yet to reappear, and he silently wondered why she hadn't. It wasn't much longer until she showed up again, much to his surprise.

" _Are you okay?"_ she asked, her voice soft.

"Fine," he said in response, walking ahead so she'd fall into pace alongside him. "You get his message?" he asked, voice still tense at the recollection of a few minutes ago.

Kagome froze and looked away, but she didn't answer him. Even though she didn't give a vocal response, he took her silence for a resounding yes, and he kept walking. She eventually fell into pace with him again.

It wasn't much longer when they came to a halt, people murmuring quietly around them about a girl a few feet away. She was swatting at the air as if she was trying to push things away from her.

The girl was having a fit, seeming to fight against something unseen by him. Kagome tensed up next to him. The next second, she had run over to her, much to his surprise. He saw her reach for her wrists, taking them in a gentle hold. Whether she could feel Kagome's touch or not, he didn't know, but her actions slowly came to a halt. She looked forward, almost as if she could see Kagome.

The next moment, however, Kagome seemed to vanish from that spot and reappeared next to him. Cloud looked back to where she had had been, but the only thing he saw was Sephiroth returning once more. He placed his hand on the flower seller's shoulder, and time around them froze. That same pain invaded his skull, and Cloud clutched his head, backing away as Sephiroth came closer to him. Kagome threw a protective arm out, as if to shield him from the tall man approaching them.

"You're too weak to save anyone," Sephiroth chuckled with a low murmur. "You can't even save yourself."

Kagome glared at him. _"_ _Don't do this."_

Sephiroth chuckled and looked down at her. "No matter how I must do so, seeing you again is such a sweet, sweet pleasure." He reached for her, gloved hand resting on her cheek. The next moment, he was gone. Cloud was still fighting off the pain in his head when things went back to normal, but when it did, Kagome was still there, looking at him in worry.

"Hey…" The flower seller crouched in front of him, a worried look reflecting in deep green eyes. "What's wrong? Are you okay?" she asked, her voice slowly chasing the fading pain. Cloud reeled his breathing back under control and stood back up to his full height.

"Just fine," he said, brushing past her and intending to leave. He didn't make it far before she darted back in front of him, holding a hand out to stop him. "What?" Cloud asked, most likely coming off as meaner than intended to her.

"Wait," she said and she removed a flower from the basket draped over her arm. "Here, this is for you," she said then. "A thanks for scaring those things away."

Cloud looked at her, not even sure what she meant. It dawned on him then that whatever she was talking about had to do with her actions moments ago of fighting with the air. He still had no idea what they were, and figured that it might've been something Kagome did, whether this girl knew that or not. "What things?"

She smiled and shook her head. "Don't worry about it," she said. "Here, take it," she chirped, holding the flower out further for him to take.

Cloud looked between her and the flower extended for him to take. He sighed and set a hand on his hip. "How much?"

She smiled and shrugged, "well… that all depends on the customer." She closed her eyes and hummed to herself as if taking a lot of care in thinking it over. "For you? It's free," she finally said. "So here."

" _Oh, just bite your tongue and accept it. You don't have a reason not to."_

That familiar voice returned, and Cloud had to fight to keep from glaring at the small girl at his side once again. As if hearing her words, the flower seller stepped forward and fixed it on his person, smiling gleefully up at him as she stepped back to survey her handiwork.

"I'm not really a flower person," Cloud tried to say, only to fall silent when it was already done and over with.

"Nonsense," she said with a chuckle. She looked at the flower and held another similar one up from her basket, looking at it thoughtfully. "In the old days, people would give this flower when they were reunited with loved ones," she said then.

Cloud shook his head and tried to go around her yet again, only to be stopped once more. He sighed and looked at her. "Look- you shouldn't get close to me," he said. "I'm involved in dangerous things. You could get hurt if you're seen around me."

She hummed quietly. "Oh, I'm sure you are," she said. "Isn't that what they all say?"

He heard Kagome laugh from behind him, and at the same time, the flower seller joined in. "You should get going," he told her. "A Mako reactor just blew up. It's not safe to be selling flowers here."

"I'll be fine," she said. Before he could respond, she came to a stiff halt, looking up at the sky around her. Her flower basket fell to the ground beside her as she lifted her hands to fend off whatever it was. She looked at him, reaching for his wrist and grabbing it tight. "Help me!"

As soon as she grabbed his wrist, whatever it was bothering her became visible to him. Ghostly figures of black and gray floated around them, swirling around them. He drew his sword, prepared to strike if it came down to it. "What are these things?"

Aerith looked at him with the same confused expression. "No idea…"

As they were still being surrounded by the floating figures, Cloud noticed the impending mass of Shinra SOLDIERs. He frowned and tightened his grip on his sword. "Just great…"

"Lower your weapon!"

Cloud looked at them. "What's wrong with you? Can't you see them?" he asked, his attention following the creatures, even as they swirled around the newcomers.

"I should go…" Aerith finally said, stepping back even as a few of those things followed her. She paused just before turning the corner, waving to Cloud. "Nice to meet you!" she cried before running off down the alley.

" _Cloud… Don't worry about these things,"_ Kagome said softly. " _The bigger threat is them,"_ she said, nodding towards the men with drawn guns. " _This should be easy for you to handle."_

He nodded. "Right. Leave it to me."


End file.
